A high-level round table on “Peaceful and Just Societies: State Police as the Sentinel of Peace in Plateau State” took place today at the Jos Business School conference hall. The event, hosted by the Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) in collaboration with Tearfund and the Plateau Peacebuilding Agency, aimed to explore the implementation of state police forces in Nigeria.
The round table was a follow-up to recent training sessions by JISRA on non-kinetic measures to peace, Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), and the National Dialogue on Security and State Police by the National Assembly. Attendees included security actors, policymakers, religious and traditional leaders, civil society organizations, international NGOs, and other key stakeholders in peace and security.
The discussions centered on several critical issues, including:
– Preventing the misuse of state police forces for political purposes.
– Proposals for a state police service commission to ensure independence from undue influence.
– Sustaining funding for state police forces, ensuring timely salaries, and mechanisms like state security trust funds.
– The effects of local government autonomy on local security architecture.
The objectives were to:
– Provide an in-depth understanding of FoRB and peacebuilding approaches.
– Promote inclusive, people-centered, prevention-oriented responses.
– Develop a communiqué to improve Nigerian security architecture in Plateau State.
– Contribute to the ongoing constitution review with meaningful insights.
– Engage policymakers to review existing laws detrimental to FoRB and produce policy briefs.
Professor Ezekiel Gaya Best of the Department of Sociology at the University of Jos delivered the keynote address, highlighting the weaknesses of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), including poor training, corruption, lack of modern equipment, recruitment and promotion issues, poor remuneration, and political manipulation. He emphasized the need for state police to address these gaps, ensuring local forces are better equipped to handle community-specific issues.
Professor Best argued that establishing state police could address many of these issues by tailoring law enforcement to the specific needs of local communities. He emphasized the importance of discussing the practical modalities of state police operations, rather than debating their necessity.
He advocated for a well-planned and carefully implemented state police system as a crucial step towards achieving a peaceful and just society in Plateau State and beyond. He called for continued dialogue and collaboration among all stakeholders to develop a practical framework that addresses the identified weaknesses of the NPF and leverages the potential benefits of state policing. His speech set the tone for the subsequent discussions, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to reforming Nigeria’s security architecture.
The discussions featured prominent figures such as Professor Nnamdi Aduba, The Revd Gideon Para-Mallam, Hon Musa Ashoms, The Chief Imam Jos Central Mosque, Shaikh Gazali, Mr. Nanmak D. Bali amongst other guests and representative of security body. The deliberations centered on critical talking points including:
– Authority and interagency coordination between local and state police forces.
– Ensuring state police forces are shielded from political influences.
– Appointment processes for state police service commission members.
– Transparent recruitment and community engagement.
Hon. Nanbol Listic, representing Langtang North in the Plateau State House of Assembly, emphasized the importance of security and welfare in legislative discussions on state police. Julie Sanda, Director General of the Plateau State Peace Building Agency, stressed the need for stakeholder input to develop a robust policy document for state policing.
Jude Likita, JISRA Nigeria Country Coordinator, highlighted the importance of practical frameworks for state policing, referencing JISRA’s contributions to the National Assembly’s constitutional review.
Ben Osawe, Advocacy Manager at Tearfund, reiterated Tearfund’s support for the initiative, emphasizing the need for a structured approach to the state police debate.
The round table concluded with a commitment to developing a practical framework for state policing in Nigeria, aiming to create effective, functional, and independent state police forces that can maintain peace and enforce laws justly. The event marked a significant step towards achieving a safer and more equitable Nigeria.
